Leading Automotive, Telecom and ITS Companies Unveil First Announced Cellular V2X Trials in Japan

TOKYO, JAPAN — Jan 01, 2018 — Continental, Ericsson, Nissan, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., OKI and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM), announced today plans to carry out their first Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) trials in Japan. The objective is to validate and demonstrate the benefits of C-V2X using direct communication technology defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in their Release 14 specifications. The trials are designed to show the enhanced range, reliability and latency benefits of C-V2X direct communications operated in 5 GHz band. Additionally, the C-V2X Trials are designed to demonstrate the complementary benefits of network-based communications utilizing LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). The trial results will help develop the ecosystem by providing inputs to the relevant stakeholders, including ITS-related organizations and government agencies, as we prepare for the connected car of the future and the industry’s evolutionary transition towards 5G New Radio (NR), the new global cellular standard being defined in 3GPP.

While complementing other Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) sensors, such as radar, lidar, and camera systems, C-V2X provides non-line-of-sight (NLOS) low latency awareness with longer range and cloud capabilities, and designed to extend a vehicle’s ability to see, hear and communicate further down the road, even at blind intersections.

C-V2X radio technology is state-of-the-art cellular technology and is being validated for global deployments, and leverages the upper layer protocols developed by the automotive industry over years of research to support new advanced end-to-end use cases. C-V2X direct communications provides enhanced range and reliability without relying on cellular network assistance or coverage.

Preparation work is well underway, with the trial expected to begin in 2018, and the used cases are designed to focus on Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) direct communications, as well as Vehicle-to-Network (V2N) operations over cellular network-based wide area communications with cloud access.

For the field trials, Continental will utilize the Qualcomm® C-V2X Reference Design, which features the Qualcomm® 9150 C-V2X chipset with integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) capability to build connected car systems and integrate the systems into Nissan vehicles. Nissan will perform V2X use case selection and develop test scenarios with key performance indicators (KPIs) for C-V2X technology validation. OKI, one of the leading companies in ITS, will bring their expertise in roadside unit (RSU) infrastructure and applications to demonstrate V2I as a viable technology for advanced traffic applications by integrating the Qualcomm® 9150 C-V2X chipset into their RSU. Ericsson, as one of the leading companies in technology and service for telecommunications, will join the V2N use case discussion considering combination of direct communication and LTE-A network technologies. NTT DOCOMO will provide LTE-A network and V2N applications to demonstrate the benefits of complementary use of network-based communications for a variety of advanced automotive informational safety use cases.

“Connecting vehicles is at the top of our agenda and with more than 20 years of competence in the development of telematics, over 30 million units shipped, and years of V2V safety product development culminating in available V2V communications offerings. We are ready to fully exploit the potential of cellular connectivity to provide advanced vehicle functionalities. Along with Nissan, we plan to show that close cooperation between automotive suppliers, OEMs, mobile operators, infrastructure and chipset suppliers is of high importance to further advance and develop Cellular V2X,” said Lars Schultheiss, vice president and head of business unit Infotainment & Connectivity at Continental in Japan.

“The C-V2X solution is unique in that it, within a common technology and eco-system, offers both network-based and direct communication for V2X services. With the network-based communication, there is a possibility to provide traffic safety and traffic efficiency services utilizing already existing coverage and penetration of cellular modems and smartphones. It also provides connectivity to various cloud-based services, providing a range of applications and value-added services. In these trials, all stakeholders are present to showcase the strength of the complete solution covering both connectivity and different applications. Ericsson is contributing with leading 4G, 5G radio, and network expertise and by leveraging our understanding of the IoT ecosystem,” said Erik Ekudden, chief technology officer at Ericsson.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this C-V2X trial; we expect this new communication technology is designed to assist us to offer new safety and convenience features,” said Tetsuo Sasaki, General Manager, connected car and services engineering department, Nissan. “With the data made available by this real-world trial, we will be able to accelerate our development to offer new services in a timely manner, once the 5G technology is available.”

“This collaborative project will bring together the invaluable knowledge and experience of world leaders in the automotive and telecom domains, and will be imperative for all parties to underpin their roles in the era of connected cars toward improved road safety and comfort. NTT DOCOMO is determined that our experience in telecommunications system will be indispensable to maximize the values of C-V2X. This project will set a clear path toward connected cars and roads of the future that materializes the power of C-V2X,” said Hiroshi Nakamura, Chief Technology Officer at NTT DOCOMO

“Towards the realization of a connected car society, the functionalities of network infrastructure for V2X must be much more intelligent. With OKI’s strong track record of ITS infrastructure deployment, we expect to achieve great results through this trial regarding the applicability of V2X for ITS with a view to the evolution towards 5G in conjunction with other member companies,” said Yukio Kato, general manager, social infrastructure solutions division, ICT business division of OKI.

“We are pleased to be working alongside such a dynamic group of forward-thinking companies to demonstrate the capabilities of C-V2X technology in the first announced Japanese trials. With its direct communications capabilities, C-V2X is ideally suited to be an important factor in facilitating enhanced safety consciousness and driver assistance. This Japan trial is a milestone in the global deployment of C-V2X technology which is expected to be featured in production vehicles by 2020,” said Nakul Duggal, vice president of product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.